Wednesday, August 29, 2018

How Kobe Bryant -- Former NBA Star Turned Entrepreneur -- Turned $6 Million into $200 Million

Retired NBA star Kobe Bryant has already proven that his greatness transcends from the basketball court to the business world. Through his investment firm, BryantStibel, he made his first investment in the sports drink BodyArmor. And within just 4 years, his return on investment has multiplied by more than 30 times - one of the the biggest investment returns for an athlete in the business world.In March 2014, Bryant invested roughly 10% share in the beverage company, BodyArmor, putting in about $6 million. Last week, Coca-Cola purchased a minority share in BodyArmor and based on its valuation deal, Bryant's stake appears to now be worth approximately $200 million.

BodyArmor, marketed as a healthier alternative to Gatorade, was only generating about $10 million in annual sales when Bryant invested in it four years ago. Now, it is expected to top $400 million in sales in 2018.

Bryant, who is the fourth largest investor in BodyArmor, is also the owner of Kobe Inc. His investment firm, BryantStibel, is a venture with his partner Jeff Stibel, that manages $100 million in assets. Moreover, he owns Granity Studios, a production company that produced the Oscar 2018 winner for Best Animated Short titled Dear Basketball.